King Glitch
by LNPittman
Summary: The reappearance of King Candy has Ralph, Calhoun, and Felix on edge as they try to uncover the mystery of his regeneration and decide just how truthful he's being.
1. Chapter 1

It was the home stretch of the Random Roster Race. Vanellope von Schweetz was in the lead.

Taffyta Muttonfudge was several lengths behind her, leaning forward intently as she tried to catch up. Later, she would blame her second-place position on Vanellope's glitching, but only in jest and only to avoid admitting that the President had gotten the better of her. They all knew Vanellope rarely glitched in their after-hours races and_never_ in the RRR; after all, she knew all too well what it felt like to be shut out, and would never risk bumping a racer who might have otherwise made the top nine out through her ability.

She was such a good girl.

Vanellope's win was all but assured, but the watcher half-hidden behind the stands bearing her name fidgeted with tension until the wildly glittery Candy Kart flashed across the finish line, Pink Lightning seconds behind. The stands erupted with cheers as each racer came in and he smiled, still fidgeting slightly as he watched the kids leap from their karts, greeting each other and mugging for fans and cameras as they trotted toward the grandstand.

With all that was going on, he didn't notice the shadow that had fallen over him until he heard the distinct crack of knuckles.

He leaped straight up, spinning in midair to face the giant behind him, giggling nervously as he half-cowered.

"Oh! Haha! Oh dear me. Ah. Ralph, isn't it? Wreck-it Ralph?"

"You _know_ who I am, Turbo."

Ralph took a step forward; his target scrambled in panic, image glitching before he managed to dash past the wrecker. But he didn't flee once past - instead, he turned to peek over his shoulder at his would-be assailant.

"Dear dear. Oh my goodness I knew coming was a mistake but-"

"You're telling _me_." Ralph started forward again, voice rumbling ominously. "I don't know how you survived that beacon, Twerp-tastic, but-"

"I didn't." He glitched again as he turned to face Ralph, who stopped in his tracks.

"What? But... outside your game... that's..."

"This _is_ my game." He folded his hands, shrugging slightly. "And it's King Candy. Now hear me out-"

"Last time I 'heard you out' you got me to break the kid's kart to save _your_ skin. You have any idea what-"

"No no. Turbo's skin. And while I know breaking the kart was very hard and not actually the solution to start with, I admire you for making that decision, for loving her enough to not risk her life to keep her friendship." King Candy had drawn himself up a bit, voice growing a bit more formal. Then Ralph scowled and he glitched wildly, stuttering as he tried to speak again. "B-b-b-but that's not th-th-the poithep-p-point here. Ahem. The point here." He fidgeted again, capturing an index finger between the thumb and index finger of his other hand and tugging it lightly. "Mister Wreck-it. Did you ever wonder how Turbo got such a complete change? Got this game to accept him? Got Bill to follow him?"

"Simple, he locked the memories and took the kid's code."

"_After_ embedding himself in an official character's code. Say, an NPC. Then the code would c-_kssghrr!_-excuse me, connect to the shell of the NPC to let him take karts and stats and so on for himself. He couldn't create a codebox anymore than he could destroy Vanellope's, but..."

"Bill says the kid's the rightful ruler."

"That's because in the backstory I abd-d-d-abdicated to run the racrun the races. Pardon me, it's worse when I'm nervous, ah-heh." He shrugged, switching to fiddling with his thumb. "It's a stupback stupid backstory I know but-"

"I've heard worse." Ralph leaned back slightly, hands on hips as he stared sketically down at the little man. "And the hiding is because...?"

"That TurbocreatTurbo creature took over my programming and locked up memories... so now... well I heard the kids talking, you know, and they think thethink that any good memories are his backup plan. Bes-s-s-sides this glitching is da-_krgdd!_-dang-_qwekgrrsh_-" He glitched more rapidly than ever, flashing across the small area in a zigzagging pattern and staggering as it came to a stop; Ralph reflexively reached to steady him and King Candy moved back, hands up. "No tounonotouching! It's not like my granddaughter's it's bad, verb-b-very bad!"

"_Granddaughter_?!"

"Well yes, you've met the othraceother racer's parents." He took a deep breath, willing the glitches to slow, and managed to speak again with only the odd flicker. "It's dangerous. And none of them have reason to trust me. And it IS my fault; to make him let her go I let-" He shuddered, glitching again.

Then they both looked up at a small voice.

"Ralph! Hey Ralphie, where are ya?"

King Candy took half a step back, staring up at Ralph.

"Don't kekeep me here, it's a danger to her."

"Darn right you're a danger to her." Ralph stared stonily at the king for a long moment; King Candy flinched a bit as Vanellope called again.

"Hey! Stinkbrain!"

"Mister Wreck-it I'm t-t-trying to f-f-find out how to fix my source b-b-but..."

"Ralph_iiiie_!"

Another moment, and he relented, still glaring.

"I have to tell Felix and Calhoun about this."

"Of course."

"And Bill."

"Yes. It wasn't his fault. He was trywastr-tr-trying to break out, I think, and that's how he knew how-"

"Yeah, yeah. If I catch you near her-"

"Understood."

He fled, diving behind a jawbreaker as Vanellope scrambled into view, glitching up onto Ralph's shoulder.

"Geez, what are you doing back _here_? Did you see me beat the pants off Taffyta or not?"

"I saw, Fartfeathers. New best time, huh?" Ralph reached up, resettling Vanellope to keep her from peeking behind them; the question tore her attention from what Ralph had been doing as she bounced excitedly.

"Yeah! Best ever and I'm ready to beat it! SO! You ready to play Double Dipped? Sarge gave Felix a _pie bazooka_, he's gonna be their gunner for our doubles race!"

"Hoo boy. Yanno, Felix can _aim_..."

"Yeah, not like you. So you better at least not let him hit me!"

King Candy watched them go from his place, glitching fitfully a moment before turning to leave himself.

There was work to do.


	2. Chapter 2

Diet Cola Mountain was where he had awakened, coming to mere feet from the bubbling liquid as Vanellope's restoration restored Sugar Rush in turn. He was certain the secret to his own restoration lay somewhere in the closed-off code of this forgotten place.

He had to be careful, of course; though Vanellope's little hut had been destroyed in the explosion and never regenerated, she had rebuilt much of her old home (down to insisting Ralph replaced her training track) and often came either alone or with her new family to spend a few private hours.

He couldn't risk encountering her. Not yet.

He had quickly come to suspect that, like Vanellope, he could cause glitches in other characters by touch; unlike her, he had pushed it a bit further to glitch pieces of his surroundings. it required either concentration or extreme duress, and it was easiest here in Diet Cola Mountain where code did not quite properly connect to begin with.

He laid both hands against the cavern wall, concentrating, and after a moment a section of code opened - not to be manipulated, not from here, but it could be perused. A sea of glittering blue ones and zeroes, with curious gaps where the level should have connected to gameplay.

After a moment he stepped back, staring at his hand. The glitches were more frequent than Vanellope's due to his constant on-edge state, and it was a matter of seconds before it flickered.

No good; he didn't hold his gaze steady enough to see.

Try again.

Another flicker, and this time he glimpsed it. Glittering blue pixels and ones and zeroes in the pattern he was slowly learning, comparing to the mountain's patterns and gaps in a tenuous hope of locating the problem.

Another few flickers. Some he focused through, some he could not.

Then red, and for a moment he was looking at deadly barbed talons.

He fell with a choked scream, scrambling backwards as if he could escape his own limb and only remembering himself when he tumbled into the practice track.

Still good for something, it seemed. Bless them both for fixing it.

He looked up at the distant hum of a kart engine. He'd pressed his luck coming during off hours; desperation could do that. No matter; he could escape before they arrived.

He dashed out through the exit and scurried into the foothills and out of sight before they rounded the corner.

Almost too close, but he'd made it.

***

"You let him _go_?" Calhoun barked, outrage and exasperation in every line.

"Shhh!" Ralph hissed, gesturing toward Vanellope - asleep on her shortcake bed, turning and muttering at the sergeant's shout. Calhoun made a curious grating sound but complied, lowering her tone as Vanellope resettled.

"Wreck-it are you out of your twenty-five cent _mind_? King Kooky played everyone in this high-fructose fairyland for _fifteen years_ and you think he's not playing _you_?"

"No, I don't think-"

"That is clearer than you know, soldier!"

"I am _not_ one of your soldiers, Sergeant Shortfuse, now calm down a minute and-"

Calhoun pointed vehemently (and rather triumphantly) at Vanellope; Ralph, realizing his voice had been steadily rising, cleared his throat sheepishly and took a deep breath.

"Now honeybadger," Felix said cajolingly, taking hold of Calhoun's hand, "why don't we let Ralph finish? You know he's got more reason than most to keep a good eye on this, so there's a reason he let him go too."

Calhoun grumbled but nodded, retaking her seat; Felix perched beside her with a hand on her knee as if in restraint, and two pairs of blue eyes gazed up at Ralph - one harsh, one gentle, both fully attentive.

"I... look. No I don't believe he's on the up-and-up; he pulled one over me once already and you think I want me _or_ Vanellope going through anything like that again? Noooo thank you. But... he's got a point about the codebox for one thing." He frowned, running blocky fingers back through his hair. "Makes me wonder... could be the truth. Could be he coded himself in so deep the game thinks he belongs. Could be hard to figure out without seeing what he does. I don't know, there was something that bothered me aside from the whole Reappearing Turbo thing, can't put a finger on it. But the real reason I let him go was because of Vanellope."

"You mean the reason you should have nailed him," Calhoun muttered. Felix squeezed her knee lightly, frowning.

"You're worried he might really be able to get at her again, brother? Or trick you into lettin' him get closer'n you would without that chat? Or just... I don't know, bring back bad memories?"

"All of the above. If that glitching is dangerous he might be able to do something just by being close to her, and was just warning _me_ off so I wouldn't get wise too quick. And... Vanellope has nightmares, you know? You guys aren't here as late as I am..."

He trailed off, and all three were silent a moment.

"And if against all odds it _is_ the truth... we could end up making a pretty big mistake and I kinda feel like we'd be no better than him if we don't try to get to the bottom of it. I mean, no better than he was before. Turbo was, when he was... aaaaagh, you know what I mean! Besides, how would we hold him? I destroyed every bit of glitch-proof chain they had in this game, remember?"

"Can't say as I blame you." Felix sighed, hopping to his feet. "All right. The Sugar Rush folks themselves admit their memories are still kinda muddled - only been what, three weeks? So it won't hurt to talk to 'em... I'll catch some of the adults, you talk to Sour Bill."

"Ehhhh, why don't you talk to Bill? Things are still kind of... _awkward_... with me and him."

"Tomorrow," Calhoun said. "It's getting late, and as much as I hate sitting on it we're going to interfere with normal operations if we're not careful. Take Cavity Queen back to the castle, we'll ask the Surge Protector about any exits and tell him to keep an eye out in case the glitching doesn't stop the code-culling little creep."

"Right. The castle guards won't let anything get at the kid, they're already trying to keep in good graces."

"Castle guards nothing, I'm sending one of the boys over. As of now, Vanellope von Schweetz is our principle; she is not to be left alone at any time during the investigation. And _you_, Junkpile, are not leaving her side until my guy gets there."

Ralph nodded, saluting with none of the sarcasm he usually associated with the gesture.

"Yes ma'am. Wouldn't have it any other way."


	3. Chapter 3

Sergeant Calhoun grimaced, cursing her fortune as she surveyed the brightly colored scene before her.

Ralph was, generally speaking, well-liked and respected by the citizens of Sugar Rush after they learned how he'd befriended their princess-president when no one else would and then saved their game from the Cybugs. Felix had the sort of personality that could put nearly anyone at ease, and people trusted him. Calhoun, on the other hand, often unintentionally intimidated the candy people and there was a not-unfounded fear that anyone she interviewed would simply tell her what they thought she wanted to hear; because of that, while the two men went to question the Sugar Rushers she was on Vanellope Duty.

Which would not have been bad at all if it was _just_ Vanellope.

No, she could never be that lucky. Instead, the task had fallen on a day when Vanellope had already decided to spend time with the other racers, and the sergeant was now surrounded by fifteen brightly-colored moppets.

"What did you say Ralph and Felix were doing?"

She jumped slightly as Vanellope suddenly appeared on her shoulder (how did Wreck-it ever get _used_ to that?).

"They… needed to talk to some people."

"I saw Ralph go into Taffyta's house." This was stated by a pretty, well-dressed little girl in creams and browns. Crumbelina, she thought.

The kids all focused on Vanellope and Taffyta, and Vanellope glitched down off Calhoun (who managed not to jump this time), reappearing beside the pink-clad racer.

"Wait a minute, what would Ralphie be doing at _your_ house?"

Taffyta started to assume a defensive posture but quickly recovered, drawing herself up as she twiddled her lollipop.

"Vanellope… how would _I_ know that? He's _your_… ah… whatever."

Calhoun sighed.

"He just wanted to talk to Muttonfudge's mom about something. It's not like they're in there making out."

She realized her mistake when all fifteen focused sharply on her.

"What's 'making out'?"

"Look, Minty—"

"I'm Sticky."

"Probably. It's, uh…." She grimaced again, wondering how she was going to explain this without getting into trouble with Ralph or any of the varied parents. "It's…."

"It's when you hug and kiss at the same time," one of the other wrapper-bow triplets said confidently. The other kids all nodded, looking satisfied, and Calhoun sighed softly in relief.

"You know, Taffyta _was_ programmed without a dad," the same triplet mused.

"So?" Taffyta stomped a foot, incensed. "That obviously means I only need my mom! And why would she make out with _Ralph_?"

"Hey!" Vanellope glared. "What's wrong with Ralph?"

"Well—"

"Mister Ralph and Taffymama are both great for hugging," Candlehead said happily. "They're all big an' squishy!"

Calhoun sighed as the conversation devolved, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Those two had better hurry it up and come save her from this.

***

"So, uh, Mrs. Muttonfudge—"

"Oh Ralph, you can just call me Bonbonita." The white-haired woman beamed, slowly waving her lollipop fan, and Ralph nodded as he carefully shifted his grip on the distressingly tiny teacup she'd given him.

"Right. Uh, Bonbonita. So, uh. You know I pretty much look after Vanellope. I was, uh, wondering if she had… yanno, coded family. Never met any, so…."

"Vanellope?" Bonbonita stopped fanning, thinking that over. "Well I… hm. You know, I think the poor dear doesn't really have any _programmed_ parents. Why, as far as anyone can tell you're the closest thing!"

He choked on the overly sweet tea. Bonbonita smiled, waiting politely until he stopped spluttering.

"Well, I, uh…."

"It's really very charming." She peered at him over the top of the fan, considering. "Hm, but you didn't say 'parents'… no siblings, I should think, not like some of the other racers." A frown. "It would be logical to assume the King, but… well."

"Uh… yeah, that actually got me thinking. King Candy, Princess Vanellope." He cleared his throat, taking a sip of the tea. "Say… you remember anything about before he took over?"

"Well…." She frowned more deeply, tapping the fan against her cheek. "Actually, I… ah… no, no I don't. It seems like he was always here." She took a sip of tea herself. "We're still a bit muddled of course. Oh, but I do remember first seeing that Turbo fellow."

Ralph blinked, straightening.

"You… you do?"

"Oh yes. He came right in almost the moment we were plugged in. Seems his game was unplugged but we knew that."

"So, you…."

"Well, we felt sorry for the poor dear, of course, and we wanted to give him a place. You know, like you did for that darling little Q*Bert." She beamed. "Really very sweet of you, but I'd expect no less!"

"Um… yeah." He cleared his throat again. "So uh… then what?"

"Well then…." She frowned. "Then… then we were open… and King Candy was there, just as he always had been. Or we thought he… oh dear, I'm so sorry, Ralph, I just can't…."

He hesitated a moment before laying a hand over her shoulder, offering a crooked smile.

"That's okay. Don't worry. I'm sure it'll come back, yanno?"

She brightened, nodding.

"Yes! Yes, of course it will! Thank you so much, dear."

She saw him out once they'd exchanged more usual pleasantries, one hand laid lightly on his elbow.

"Do come see me again, dear! I rather enjoy our visits!"

Ralph refrained from pointing out it was only the second time they'd even spoken, and headed for the Fluggerbutter residence.

***

"Can I help you?"

Sour Bill's tone was a bit cautious as he eyed Felix, who smiled as winningly as he could in return.

"You sure can, Bill! Uh… listen. We've had something pretty big come up about the king, an' given how close you were to the situation…."

Sour Bill looked away.

"L-listen, Mister Fix-it, everything that happened then…."

Felix blinked, head tilting.

"Uh… y'know I'm not sore at you for throwin' me in jail. Right?"

"Technically I dropped you, sir."

"Well.. um, all right." Felix knelt, offering a hand. "I'm not sore about you droppin' me in jail either. All in the past an' not really your fault, so friends?"

Sour Bill hesitated before nodding once, carefully taking the offered hand.

"Okay, sir. So… what's the problem?"

"Well…" Felix shrugged. "Long story short? Last night Ralph saw 'im. An' the one Ralph saw says he's th'real king that Turbo took over. Vanellope's granddad."

"Grand… father." Sour Bill frowned. "I… I'm not sure, sir. I don't remember Turbo well at all - it's mainly the king. I remember both at once, almost, side by side… but I don't_know_. The reset restored memories but it's mixed up with the past fifteen years, and—"

He had been getting more agitated as he spoke; Felix held up his hands to stop him.

"Easy now. It's okay. It's just…." He removed his cap, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess you know as much as anybody why this worries us. An' if you think of anythin' that can get closer to th'truth…."

"Y… yes," Bill said slowly. "I can look through records that were restored when Prin… President Vanellope reset the game. I don't know my way around the code…." He shook his head slowly. "Wait. That's another thing… Turbo would have had to go into the code by himself. But it can't be done alone. But I only remember helping the King… but… Felix I swear would have only aided President Vanellope or the King." He was quiet a moment. "If there _was_ a king and I'm not imagining seeing both together…."

"We'll have a look at the code ourselves if it comes to that - we've got a little experience in our own game nowadays." Felix smiled, standing. "Thanks - I appreciate you at least talkin' to me. An' what you've told me - those're pieces of the puzzle at least."

"Of course." Sour Bill nodded. "If there's anything else…."

Felix paused a moment.

"There is _one_ more question…."

***

By the time the three adults came back together, Calhoun was wearing Crumbelina's hat as she watched the kids at play.

"Don't either of you make the slightest little eight-bit peep."

Felix and Ralph exchanged a look before Felix, feeling bold, cleared his throat.

"It uh… makes your eyes look real bright."

She glared a moment before snorting.

"That's what the owner said. I'm just glad she's the only one I offered to hold something for. You jokers find anything?"

"Not much," Ralph said. He and Felix both sat, Felix in the middle with Calhoun and Ralph on the other side. "Bonbonita - Taffyta's mom I mean - says she remembers first seeing Turbo, but she doesn't remember a time before King Candy."

"Bonbonita?" Calhoun asked flatly, raising a brow.

"Hey she _told_ me to call her that. Anyway, the other parents said the same… Bonbonita and Rancis' dad both mentioned King Candy when I asked if the kid had any family programmed." He left out Bonbonita's other comment on the matter; she hadn't been alone in _that_ either, but it wasn't currently relevant. "Felix?"

"Sour Bill doesn't remember when Turbo came in or how he got at the code… he thinks he remembers both Turbo an' Candy at once, but he says he might be mixin' things." Felix frowned. "He's lookin' through records but there's no promise those're kosher either… we might have to look at the code, but none of us know it too well. Only he did, an' that's part a' th'problem."

They were quiet a moment, watching Vanellope with the other racers. As they watched, Candlehead slipped badly; Vanellope tried to catch her, and both girls nearly crashed into a large jawbreaker before Vanellope glitched them away in a glimmer of blue codelines.

Ralph blinked, sitting up.

"Blue," he said softly. Felix and Calhoun both looked at him as he slapped a palm to his forehead. "_Blue_!"

"Blue?" Felix repeated cautiously. Ralph nodded.

"Yeah! Guys, _that's_ what was bugging me. He glitched _blue_!"

"Are you _sure_, brother?"

"Yeah. Completely sure."

"So what?" Calhoun frowned. "What are you old-school oafs on about? Cavities glitches blue all the time."

"Right, you never got a good look at him." Felix turned toward her, spreading his hands. "Tammy Jean… Vanellope glitches blue, but I saw it on the Jumbotron - Turbo glitched in _red_."

She blinked, leaning back slightly as that sank in.

"Oh."

"Yeah," Ralph said. " 'oh'."

Felix sighed softly.

"Jiminy jaminy. It might not be the whole truth an' it might not be nothin' but the truth, but in some way that fella is telling the _truth_."

"Who's telling the truth?"

All three looked at Vanellope, who had noticed Ralph and Felix's arrival and come to greet them.

"Vanellope," Ralph began. He sighed as he picked her up, cradling her carefully in one palm.

"Kid… we need to talk."


	4. Chapter 4

"Kid... we need to talk."

Vanellope glanced aside at Ralph's statement, tugging lightly at her own index finger as she leaned against his thumb.

"I dunno if I like those words in that tone, Ralphie."

"I know, I know, it's just..." He sighed, looking over at the other racers and clearing his throat. "Hi kids. Look - we need to borrow Vanellope for a little while. Big... presidential business."

The gathered children exchanged glances, but gave a general murmur of agreement; after assuring them that yes, they would be back as soon as they were finished, the four set off with Ralph still carrying Vanellope and Felix and Calhoun flanking him.

Almost on the lookout, Vanellope realized.

She cleared her throat, glitching nervously as she glanced off over Ralph's fingers.

"Say, uh... Stinkbrain... Ralph... I, um, wanted to talk to you too."

"Yeah?" he asked cautiously. "Well uh... we might have a lot to talk about so hear me out first. I... I've been talking to King Candy..."

He stalled at that, struck by an unpleasant deja vu. Vanellope just gazed up at him a long moment before looking away, speaking in a tiny voice.

"I thought that might be it."

He stopped walking altogether.

"What? But... he wasn't..."

Felix cleared his throat, tapping Ralph's free hand lightly to quiet him before hopping onto his friend's shoulder as Calhoun came closer on his other side.

"Was that what you wanted to talk about, Gumdrop?"

Vanellope nodded at Felix's gentle question, digging into the pocket of her hoodie.

"I... guys. You know how sometimes players unlock special things, pictures and stuff? Um... it was Sarah, the one in glasses who always picks me - you know? She was on a real roll today, we were _awesome_!" She gave a tiny ghost of her usual grin as she pulled three pictures out. "Anyway, this is what we unlocked."

She spread the pictures carefully on the heel of Ralph's hand, and the adults leaned in for a look.

The first was Vanellope pulling a white helmet with a gold crown painted on the side from a colorful giftbox as a beaming King Candy watched.

The second was Vanellope in her princess garb, perched on a cushy throne with King Candy and Sour Bill standing on either side.

The third was Princess Vanellope again, caught in profile marching behind King Candy and in front of Sour Bill with a cheerful, confident gait.

"I remember this," she said softly. "I _remember_, but I didn't until I saw them, and I don't know if it's real or..."

"Programmed memories," Calhoun muttered. Her voice was slightly rough, and Felix reached over to brush a hand through her hair; she gave him a quick, wry smiled before addressing Vanellope again. "Well, I... there's one thing I can tell you, kiddo. Programmed backstory memories might as well be real - they're part of your experience. Where you go from there makes you you."

"I guess so." Vanellope frowned, shuffling the pictures. "I... I mean, you guys are my family, right?" She was silent a long moment as the three murmured agreement. "But then... who's _he_?"

"Well... he called you his granddaughter when I talked to him," Ralph said slowly. "We've been talking to some of the citizens since the Roster Race ended... no one can confirm it yet, but..."

"Since the race ended?" Vanellope blinked. "So you knew about this before today?" She glitched off of his hand, fist on hip. "And you didn't _tell_ me? Might be _kinda_ just a little bit important, doncha think?"

"Now Gumdrop," Felix said, hopping down and holding his hands out placatingly. "Listen, we're just tryin' t'look out for ya... it was just yesterday, an'..."

"And what, you thought I couldn't handle it or something?"

"Kid... that's not it, I-"

"This is just like last time, you talk to someone behind my back and then decide without even listening to me that-"

"VON SCHWEETZ."

Vanellope, Felix, and Ralph all jumped at Calhoun's shout, Vanellope glitching briefly but falling silent; the sergeant nodded at Ralph.

"Go ahead, Wreck-it."

"Uh... thanks. Vanellope..." Ralph knelt. "Look. None of us think you can't handle it. All three of us know that you can and have handled a lot more than you should have to." He shrugged, glancing aside. "And that's just it - maybe there are some things you shouldn't _have_ to handle, y'know, and I wanted to be more sure of this one before you did." He was quiet a moment, voice low when he spoke again. "You're not the only one who has nightmares sometimes, kiddo."

She shifted her weight back, giving him a weak smile. Then she bounded up to throw her arms around his neck.

"You weren't supposed to tell anyone about those, Stinkbrain," she said softly. "Okay. I get it, I guess. But... but what about him? If... if it's true, why's he hiding from me?"

"He's scared."

"What, of me?"

"No! ...maybe. I'm not actually sure." Ralph shrugged, holding her in his palm again. "He's got one heck of a glitch, though, and it just got worse when he tried to talk. He's the only one who really knows."

"Oh."

"So," Calhoun said, "You wanna go talk to him?"

"Sarge..."

"What?" She raised a brow at Ralph. "_I_ wanna talk to him. Seems to me it's the fastest way to get to the bottom of this. You pussywillows wanna keep tiptoeing around that's your problem - I'm gonna dig the little twerp up and see if he won't glitch up some answers."

She started off at a brisk march; after a moment Felix trotted after her.

"Hold up, Tammy Jean! I'll come too!"

Ralph looked at Vanellope. After a moment she nodded.

"I'll just... I'll decide on the way. I mean... I wanna know, but _King Candy_... maybe I'll stay out of sight. If... if something weird happens..."

"Something weird happens, I've got you."

He stood, holding Vanellope close to his chest as he jogged after their friends.

***

By the time they found him Vanellope's nervousness had increased, manifesting in occasional glitches; Ralph set her down behind a jawbreaker before stepping out with Felix and Calhoun.

"All right, Candy. We want to talk some more."

King Candy jumped, glitching in stutters of bright blue, and looked up at the three with a weak smile.

"I suppose you would at that." He stacked the candy wrappers he'd been scribbling on and stood, removing the huge glasses he'd been wearing and tapping them idly against a palm. "I'll do my best to help, but I'm afraid I haven't made much progress myself." He glitched again as Calhoun stepped closer, shifting his weight back as she picked up the candy wrappers.

"What's all this?" She frowned, perusing the neat rows of zeroes and ones. "Code? What're you playing at?"

He held up his hands defensively, glitching nervously as he spoke.

"N-no no, Sergeant. That's all my coall my code. And a bit of the m-m-mountain." He shuffled his feet. "Y-you see, I was comparing its b-broken code to what I can sometimes see when I g-g-glitch. M-m0st aspects of the game regenerated, like my glasses after Mister Wreck-it b-broke them, but not everything came back properly and if I c-can find the paraparallels-"

"You remember that?" Ralph growled, stepping closer. King Candy glitched wildly in fright, stumbling a bit before taking a deep breath, lacing his fingers.

"Well, I... yes. I remember... quite a lot. My AI was disconnected, you see, so I had no control, but I was still _there_."

There was a long, uncomfortable silence.

"Oh my land," Felix said faintly after a moment. "So..."

"Yes." King Candy cleared his throat, shaking his head. "B-but it's not... not... completely... all right it was completely b-bad but it means I... I can recall some things he did to the c-code."

"Okay," Ralph said. "I mean, _yikes_, but okay. Go on."

"A-a-a-anyway. There are things - upgrades - locked out of the code before they c-could become a full p-part... and thanks to Turbo inserting himself ininto my code there are broken and exextraex-"

He began glitching wildly again, image wavering crazily. Felix, Ralph, and Calhoun all backed away, wide-eyed, while behind her jawbreaker Vanellope clapped her hands over her mouth and hunkered.

"_STOP IT_!" King Candy finally howled in frustration. His image flickered a few more times before stopping - but not before several red pixels appeared in the code. Ralph and Felix straightened, staring, as Calhoun drew her rifle and took aim.

"I'm not sure he's talkin' to _us_..." Felix murmured to the tensing Ralph. "I-"

"All right," Calhoun snapped, drowning Felix out. "The two-color glitching's a neat trick, I admit, but the game's over."

"Game?" King Candy looked at the rifle and then its owner, aghast. "_Game_? Now you look here, missy-"

"Sergeant," she growled.

"Oh yes of course; my apologies." He bowed slightly before clearing his throat, image warping again as he spoke. "Now you look here, Sergeant Missy, do you think this is a gais a game to me? Well I suppose it's _tetechtechnically_ a game but I can _assure_ you I am not havihaving fun, this is _not_ entertaining! For fifteen years I've been a... a... a passenger with a lu-lunatic in the driver's seat and he's so embedded even a regeneration can't geca-ca-can't get rid of him and it is _not_ fun, Sergeant Missy, and I am _not_having a good time despite this technically being a game!"

He stomped a foot on the last word, bells jangling dissonantly. The the angry pout faded, replaced by a nervously elated expression.

"Oh! Oh my starbursts I said it, I said it and he couldcouldn't stop me!"

"Said what?" Ralph said, still tensed. "Back up a... wait. He's _still there_?"

"Yes, but he didn't wandidn't want you to know; it's a wonder I've even m-managed this much."

"And the glitches are him trying to-"

"Sometimes."

"That's why you wouldn't come talk to me?"

They all looked over at Vanellope's small voice as she peeked around the jawbreaker.

"Vanny." King Candy gulped as he glitched again. "Vanny, no, you can't be here. He'll-" He glitched again, red scattered through the pixels. "I'm sorry, you ha-have to..." Another, more violent glitch. "So-someone take her away from here!"

Ralph glanced to the side.

"Felix."

"Right." Felix nodded, moving to Vanellope's side to take her hand. "Come on, Gumdrop, Ralph and Tammy Jean'll take care of this."

"No, I..." She pulled free, stepping closer to King Candy. "I... I can teach you to control it. It's easy, you just..."

"_Vanellope_!" He backed away from her, form glitching and warping. A trace of red and white helmet, a flash of barbed talons. Felix seized the girl again, pulling her back.

"Vanellope, Gumdrop, please... we'll sit down and work this out later, but right now-"

"N-no! I want-"

"GO!"

Ralph, Calhoun, and King Candy bellowed the word in unison. Vanellope glitched with a small squeak of dismay, clinging briefly to Felix before allowing the handyman to lead her away.

Behind them, Ralph and Calhoun turned to face the badly glitching King, all three of them pale and tense with anticipation.


End file.
